American Airlines to Introduce Premium Economy on International Flights Next Year

American Airlines is the latest airline to jump on the “premium economy” bandwagon, saying it will begin offering the new class of service on many international flights beginning at the end of 2016, when it takes delivery of its new 787-900 planes—a longer-range version of the popular Dreamliner.

The move makes the Dallas-based airline the first major line in the U.S. to embrace the concept—which is based on the premise that passengers will pay up to 50 percent over a straight coach fare for a wider seat, a bit more legroom, better entertainment and other perks, like free checked bags. Other U.S. airlines—even American—have previously introduced variations on the theme with products like “main cabin extra” or Delta's Comfort-Plus seats. However, they differ from a true premium economy class in that the seat is basically the same as other coach models.

American said it will phase in the new class over the next few years on virtually its entire long-haul fleet, joining most of its Oneworld alliance partners—including British Airways, Qantas, and Cathay Pacific—in offering the service, which caught on years ago as a sort of compromise class for those who seeking an escape from economy on long flights but couldn’t justify the difference in fare.

American’s entry, on the heels of Singapore’s and Lufthansa’s conversion, means the number of major international carriers that don’t offer this class is dwindling rapidly. However, Qatar Airways, another Oneworld member, isn’t joining the trend, at least according to its CEO Akbar AL Baker, who was in New York City this week to mark the arrival of the Airbus A350 jetliner into transatlantic service. Asked at a press conference whether he was reconsidering after AA’s move, Baker demurred, adding that he thinks Qatar’s economy class is the equal of premium economy classes he’s seen on some other airlines—which he did not mention by name.